Adventures at BEA 201206.12.2012

I’m laughing so hard at this photo that I’m not entirely sure where to begin. This picture is of me, my editor/publisher Julie Strauss-Gabel, and my agent, Jodi Reamer, inside the massive REACHED bubble at BEA. Penguin had this great idea to replicate the cover of REACHED and set it up as a photo op for attendees, etc. The minute Julie told me about this bubble I was so excited. I think Jodi wins points for enthusiasm but I have to say that Julie swooping her hair across her face and posing exactly like Cassia takes the cake. I adore this picture.

This was my third year at BEA, thanks to my amazing publisher, but it was the first year that my husband and I decided we should try to find someone to watch the kids so he could come along and see what BEA entails. My awesome mom came to take care of our four little ones for three days and Scott got to experience BEA, the highlight of which, for him, was probably this:

Meeting John Green.

Scott and I have been fans since LOOKING FOR ALASKA, and we’ve watched John and his brother Hank for years. John was very gracious (especially considering how much he had to do–speeches, signings, etc.). It’s very fun to meet someone you admire yourself, but to see your spouse meet someone he finds awesome–well. Even more fun.

I’m sure the second highlight for Scott was this:

His wife making him pose inside the REACHED bubble. But he was an unfailingly good sport, as always.

While I was signing and doing interviews, Scott decided to go stand in the signing lines for more fave authors,Tonya Hurley and Dan and Robison Wells, all of whom he has friend crushes on (and also a friend crush on Tonya’s very fun sister Tracy). Meanwhile, I was signing away in the Penguin booth and grinning from ear to ear. I was SO grateful to all of you who waited in line for the signing. And to everyone who came to the panel at McNally Jackson (which was a gorgeous bookstore)! The other authors on the panel–Andrea Cremer, Marie Lu, Tonya Hurley, Michelle Hodkin, and Adele Griffin–were all a lot of fun, and our moderator (Sarah from the blog Forever Young Adult) asked very excellent and spicy questions.

Now I’m back home, though, downing Junior Mints and working like crazy, so this post has to end. But BEA was wonderful. I wonder if Penguin could send home the bubble so I could live and work inside of it…

What a fun promo idea! I can’t wait to read reached and am so excited for all the great things you’re doing and experiencing and creating for others. Good luck settling back in, that’s usually the hardest part for me.